We had a short time and busy schedule in Madison, WI, so we resigned to pretending we weren’t actually there. The Moxie Strings fell in love with Madison after performing at the Mad Gael Music Fest the summer before. We found it to be a fun, fit, open-minded community that appreciates art and great brunch. I wish we could say that on this trip we toured the stunning Capitol Building and jogged the expanse of trails, but there just wasn’t the time. We spent most of our time teaching and then retired to our quaint Air BnB outside the city. Although it was sad to see the Capitol in the distance, I realized quickly that these couple of days required focus on other things. The trip became a great lesson for me in “you can’t always do it all,” (See how my self-talk is improving? More on this here.) In this case, not trying to do it all meant doing a few things well. 

 Giving myself permission to have slower days is not easy for me, but it has become very necessary during this year of travel. When I don’t slow down, I often find myself constantly looking ahead as experiences go sweeping past me. This doesn’t allow me the time to properly reflect, grow, or form concrete memories from my trips, which is a necessary and enjoyable process for me. Lately I’ve been actively resisting my tendency to over-commit so that I can stay more present and in touch with myself, my passions, and my goals. This time in Madison gave me a great opportunity to put my focus and heart into several of these passions, and I’m so glad I was mentally available to do so.

In Madison I spent time in several teaching scenarios: a group-lesson with professional adults, a workshop with a new band of inspired young Celtic musicians, and one-on-one in a private lesson. Because I was rested and not over-scheduled, I found these few days to be incredibly cathartic. (Teaching is both one of my biggest passions and greatest joys. I think of it as a very mutually beneficial experience; I truly gain as much as the students. I find myself refining my ideas, drawing connections, and continually searching for ways to make concepts more relevant. It’s an intoxicating process for me!) These teaching opportunities in Madison were more than just enjoyable, they were wildly productive in refining my process for teaching improvisation and relating to young people. This time required a level of pondering and complexity of thought that just wouldn’t have been possible if we were keeping our normal travel pace. I felt relieved to have prioritized correctly, and could sleep well knowing Madison’s beautiful sights will still be there the next time we visit. 

 When traveling there’s always more that could be seen and experienced. Always. No matter how many great experiences you do have. This fact alone can make resting and/or focusing very difficult. It’s also very easy to get caught up in the changing landscapes and exciting newness and not give proper time to learn and grow from the experiences. I journal daily to reflect, conclude, and make plans for the future. These activities are important enough that I often put them on my to-do list in the morning. (Blogging has been helping immensely with that too.)

Here’s a mini hacks list of things I’d highly recommend doing while traveling to stay present and get the most out of your memories. A mini exercise in mindfulness and gratitude. It may mean setting the alarm 30 minutes earlier or skipping that last drink, but you’ll be glad you did:

Schedule time to reflect. Play back the events of your travels so far, either before you get out of bed in the morning or before you go to sleep at night.

Take lots of pictures, and look at them often while traveling.

Reflect with others. Chat with your travel companions about the memories you’ve already created, even if they were yesterday or that morning.

Go for a walk. See the area from the ground level and let your mind wander.

Write memories down. Keep a journal or note-taking app accessible to jot a travel log or note things that you enjoyed.

Text your friends periodically. Pick a person or two that would love to hear from you and update them on your adventures. (Your mom would be thrilled!)

Post a picture a day. This will mean sifting through events and deciding which to share.

Recognize happiness. When you feel particularly happy or content, take a deep breath and sit in it, even for just a few seconds 🙂

Take it easy, drrifters 💙🌏💨

Diana